Thread by @swardley

X : Any general advice on taking over an organisation.
Me : A bit left field. Do you mean private or Gov. Actually, it doesn't matter - 90 days.
X : 90 days?
Me : You have 90 days to set in motion any major changes you wish to make before the antibodies overwhelm you.

X : 90 days to investigate, explore and determine what I want to do?
Me : No. Time to investigate, explore and determine what you want to do is before you start i.e. things like Better for Less were written long before plans stated. You've got 90 days to get your plans moving.

X : But, I've just started.
Me : Implementing plans?
X : No, started with the organisation. I need to find out more about it.
Me : Oh.
X : A bad "Oh".
Me : Yes. Basically, you've messed this up. That investigation and planning work should have happened before you started.

X : Who plans what they're going to do with a company before they start?
Me : Everyone. That's why there's a run up for a new chief exec of an agency or some department. You never walk into a position of leading an organisation with a blank book and a "I'm hear to learn" smile.

X : What should I do?
Me : Start working on your exit. Take the old organisation plans and announce you're going to do this with new vigour, a greater focus on reducing waste etc.
X : Will that help?
Me : No-one will argue with reducing waste whilst you're looking for an exit.

X : I've just started and you're saying plan for exit?
Me : Call yourself transitional and prep some plays for when things don't change.
X : Such as.
Me : Just pick a narrative. I'd recommend in your state one of "we need to focus on profitability /efficiency/waste reduction".

X : That doesn't seem right.
Me : It's like planning for Christmas. You announce you're going to hold a party and start planning and executing on the plan a long time beforehand (i.e. 90 days). You don't wait until the day and go "So, what's this Christmas all about then?"

... or as Sun Tzu would say "The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought" ... you don't walk into the battle and go "so, anyone got any ideas?"

X : What if I have done that?
Me : Well, what do you think will happen? After 90 days of inaction, you'll come with a plan and everyone will be happy? Really? Or you'll be fought at every corner by your own troops as everyone has now worked out how to take advantage of this?

X : Basically, you're saying I'm screwed?
Me : I wouldn't be so crude but you've got the point. Plan your exit. Use a flag of reducing waste to keep people busy. Declare at a later stage that you were a transitional appointment etc etc. Don't mess up next time.

Me : Out of curiosity, how on earth did you end up running an agency without knowing this stuff?
X : I've built some successful startups.
Me : Ah. You do know it's a different skillset? Building a startup from scratch is not like taking over a pre-existing structure.

X : It's all about getting the right people, the right environment and the right motivations together.
Me : Oh, go on ... mention "culture". I double dog dare you with biscuits on top.